Had I been blindfolded and transported to the dining room at 503 Café International in Lafayette, I'd think I was sitting inside a mid-range budget hotel lobby bar in Southeast Asia, or perhaps even somewhere in Central America. The café featured the loud hum of a refrigerator compressor working too hard, random piped music playing a bit too boisterously, a retro '70s-style wooden bar, and harsh, unflattering lighting, a virtual collage of various places I've been overseas with names soon forgotten after brief stays.

Collecting cues from both the décor and menu descriptors at 503 Café, I began to paint a picture in my head of the type of food that would likely end up on my plate. The picture wasn't pretty. I certainly didn't expect much from the seemingly disconnected menu that hawked a mishmash of items like; chicken marsala, mashed potatoes, Cobb salad, New York strip steak and chicken picatta. The last time I was fed all these things in one place it was 1985, I was at my Brother's bar mitzvah where only my grandfather Marvin was excited about the "continental-style cuisine." In 2012, this menu seemed a bit out of touch.

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I ordered a glass of wine from the short and reasonably priced international list of beer and wine ($4-$10) and selected an appetizer and a salad. A generous plate of fried brussels sprouts served with green apples, pistachios and an apple cider reduction ($7) came out first. And although brussels are out of season, and I've eaten more than my fair share of brussels sprout dishes all over Boulder this year, I can easily say 503's offering was nothing short of spectacular. Tender leaves fried to a caramel crisp, the slight sweetness of the apple reduction and the nuttiness of the pistachios blended together for an inspired twist to this over-showcased item. This dish was ample enough in size to share with two or three people as a starter.

For a mere $5, an entire heart of romaine lettuce is split down the middle, doused with olive oil, lightly charred on the grill and comes peppered with salt and drizzled with creamy Caesar dressing. I'm usually wary of grilled greens as they can often get wilty and unappealing, but the romaine retained a vibrant color and a delectable crunch. Thick shards of parmesan cheese were grated on top. With well executed starters like these, I began eagerly anticipating my entrees.

Thinly pounded and pan-sauteed chicken marsala served over mushroom risotto came bedazzled by bits of crisped prosciutto and a hint of white truffle oil ($14). As delicate as the chef was with the addition of the truffle oil, I'd have preferred this without it, as the marsala sauce could have stood on its own and really taken center stage.

My companion sampled the bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin. ($12) And no, that isn't a typo! Twelve dollars for pecan-smoked, bacon-wrapped pork served atop zucchini and red pepper risotto with a pomegranate reduction sauce is a Boulder County bargain. Pork was served a bit too well done but if you're keen on indicating a temperature for your pork, seeking only organic-raised, cruelty-free meat, or like to see the name of the local farm that your pig or chicken came from, this likely isn't your place. So don't expect it here. Expect instead generous portions of throwback menu classics mixed with sporadic insertions of seemingly random international favorites. You'll find El Salvadoran pupusas, French crepes, and Venetian seafood stew on special. Staff is friendly, eager to please and on the ready with recommendations.

Open only about a year, 503 is just starting to find its groove. They offer a full breakfast menu and an affordable lunch. Since my visit, I've become a fan on Facebook, and it seems the chef gets more creative and current with his daily specials. I've been enticed more than once by their food photos.

If you find yourself hungry and looking for a unique, unexpected, surprisingly tasty and affordable meal, check out 503. Pretend you're traveling somewhere exotic and order something from the international offering of the day, or stay on the continent for a well executed yesteryear favorite. For the price, you just can't be disappointed.

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